On Saturday, November 8, at the Marygrove Theatre in Detroit, the Neapolitan company Teatri 35 staged Per Grazia Ricevuta, an extraordinary performance of tableaux vivants inspired by the masterpieces of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. The initiative, organized by the Consulate of Italy in Detroit and the Dante Alighieri Society of Michigan, with support from the Dante Alighieri Headquarters in Rome, offered the American audience an immersive and visually striking experience in which the actors’ bodies become painterly material, bringing to life the celebrated chiaroscuro of the Lombard master. The event celebrated the evocative power of Italian art and its ability to connect cultures and generations, reaffirming Detroit’s role as a cultural crossroads of the Midwest and as a platform for dialogue between Italy and the United States.
“Caravaggio teaches us that light is born from contrast, just like cultural dialogue between different countries, which draws strength from differences to create something new and vital,” said Italy’s Consul in Detroit, Allegra Baistrocchi. The second performance took place in Indianapolis on November 10, at the headquarters of Dallara Inc., a historic Italian excellence in engineering and motorsport.
There, in addition to highlighting Italy’s contributions to design, technology, and advanced mobility, the building, made of glass and racing machines, became the perfect contrast to the baroque chiaroscuro.
The goal is to elevate Made in Italy as a model of creativity and technical expertise, in continuity with the Consulate’s mission to promote Italian excellence not only in Michigan but also in neighboring states, including Indiana.
“Culture and innovation are two sides of the same Italian coin: the art of knowing how to create, born from the past and looking with confidence to the future,” added Consul Baistrocchi. Together, the two events showcase the vitality of the Sistema Italia and the commitment of the Consulate and the Dante Alighieri Society of Michigan to building cultural, economic, and human bridges between Italian and American communities. Lia Adelfi, President of the Dante Alighieri Society of Michigan, commented:
“Tableaux vivants are not just a technique. They are not just theater. They are genius, creativity, and passion. You start from a painted canvas, from a chaos of drapery, from an instinctive gesture. And yet, from that chaos, order emerges. From that color, light surfaces. And that raw material becomes flesh, drama, emotion. Caravaggio didn’t paint; he gave life. Light didn’t illuminate; it pierced. Shadow didn’t hide, it confessed. And during these nights, we experienced this with Teatri 35 through a gesture, a breath, a silence, and we watched Caravaggio’s works transform into living theater.
The audience wasn’t just looking at a painting… they stepped inside it. Because art is not representation, it is resurrection.” A special acknowledgment was offered by Indiana’s Secretary of State, Diego Morales, who not only recognized the contribution of Italians in the state but also expressed his congratulations, highlighting the human and professional ties between the two countries that nourish strong bilateral relations.
